Oklahoma Representative Joins the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States
Bashore said he was 'honoured to bring Oklahoma's perspective' to the council
Oklahoma Representative Steve Bashore has joined the executive committee of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, giving the state a seat inside one of the main bipartisan forums for gaming regulation in the US.
The NCLGS is the only organisation of state lawmakers that meets regularly on gaming issues and is focused on proper regulation rather than promotion of the sector.
Its remit covers lotteries, casinos, pari-mutuel wagering, responsible gaming, state-federal relations on Indian gaming and online betting.
A Seat at the Table
According to The McCarville Report, Bashore said the role will help Oklahoma contribute to national policy conversations while learning from lawmakers in other jurisdictions.
“I’m honored to both bring Oklahoma’s perspective as a gaming compact state to the table and to learn from other national legislators who have devoted years of study to the issues surrounding gaming in their own states,” he said.
Bashmore is deputy floor leader in the Oklahoma House and previously managed Buffalo Run Casino & Resort in north-east Oklahoma.
The group’s structure is designed to bring legislators together on the issues most likely to affect licensing, tribal compacts, consumer safeguards and internet wagering.
NCLGS says it does not take a pro- or anti-gaming position, but instead concentrates on how states can regulate the industry properly and share policy experience across party lines.
Local Experience, National Reach
Bashore’s district includes several tribal casinos, and he said his work around Oklahoma’s tribal gaming compacts should help him on the committee.
Hotel franchising company Wyndham Hotels & Resorts agreed to a new, multi-hotel deal with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma earlier this year.
